The two-metre rule is based on "outdated" science because there is evidence that coronavirus droplets can travel up to 8m (26ft) when someone sneezes or shouts, researchers have claimed.
Social distancing guidelines are "over-simplistic", as small droplets containing COVID-19 can go much further than the government claims, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
news.sky.com/story/coronavi...
British Medical Journal:
OMG its even more of a muddle today to do with COVID19.......its a u turn against information we were given and have these Scientists who lead our Government, been on a nice tax payer gratis holiday. How can everything to do with major scientific evidence, now are futile. Beggars belief. My.stress levels started rising when i heard the 5am news and Boris changing the "mask wearing"to the Head of School. I can smell a rat hiding.under something and it'll surface in a few days. Totally crap day to choose which electoral party you side with coz with rubbish information, how can we choose? 🐿🌈
To be honest I agree. It seems that their best scientific advice is based on the best scientific guesses rather than being up to date evidence based.
"Dr Nicholas Jones and colleagues at the University of Oxford said the rule was produced from studies dating back up to 100 years ago and is too simplistic".
dailymail.co.uk/news/articl...
A century ago and that's supposedly what our Chief Scientific Advisors on salaries of £130,000++++upwards are looking at. They MUST be able to use info from up to the minute via internet and if need be chuck the models/figures together and at least produce something more solid than what a baby does in its nappy!!! (Excuse my innuendo 's but I'm hoping mad.....fed up with feeble excuses, fed up with restrictions being about turned at the 12th hour and more!!!!). Must take my stress pill now. Its days like this that i wish i could talk or write to those in Government but unless its hand delivered and you need 250,000 signatures to back up your claim or grievance, its put straight in the bin. What a damn cheek eh?
Hope you get your results today 2greys. 🤞
🐿🌈
Present scientific practice is to make exaggerated claims without any logic simply for publication and a shot at fame. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has made the pitch even more fervent.
The virus may reach a longer distance but the infectivity decreases with distance as the viral density reduces. If simple reaching distance is a measure then we would see more infectivity outdoor than the indoor. In fact, even though the International space station have viruses and bacteria on the surface but nobody gets sick.
One thing for sure, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the world aware of the primitive nature of medical science.
In reality this is old news in many ways. I am sure there was a video on the forum which demonstrates how far droplets spread following a sneeze. Obviously environmental conditions such as indoor outdoors etc can make a huge difference. And of course MASKS.
Very true, but this is now a peer reviewed fact. That the Gov cannot deny, it makes the 1 metre plus rule even dodgier than first thought.
You are of course right. There is so much about precautions for Covid that should be a matter of common sense. That it takes research to prove it to the government speaks volumes about our politicians.
Before we get too alarmed at this, we might want to put this in perspective:
1) would 8m social distancing really be feasible?
2) is 8m droplet transfer the norm or the absolute maximum, the latter suggesting that the risk is low?
3) given that sneezing is not a common symptom of COVID-19, how likely is a carrier to sneeze on you (unless, of course, s/he has hayfever!)?
4) aren’t people more likely to shout at you from 8m than if they were 2m away?
Just a few thoughts!
Another direction of thought. Face to face, facing each other, is discouraged and side by side being preferable, then introduce face masks being 1 M apart. When breathing out, wearing a face mask the exhausted air emanates from the sides of the mask, towards at the person to the side of you!
Unless you have one with an exhalation valve, then you won't be allowed on a plane!
I was thinking about the standard masks, if you watch videos of them you can see how they often lift away from the face especial the ones with ear loops. I agree with you about the ones with valves on the side making matters worse, they should be banned from use.
I'm not in favour of banning something that has a legitimate use in another context (I used to wear such masks at work). Ironically, masks with exhalation valves make it easier to breath and I wonder if those who are presently exempt from wearing face coverings might be better off with such a mask, as it would at least provide *them* with protection, even if there were a potential risk to someone else.
You’re absolutely right, and thanks so much for the BMJ article which also answers some of our folks’ questions. The bar charts are clear and helpful. Wishing you good luck for your appointment tomorrow, 2greys.
The response of this government shadows that of any government when confronted by the unknown...panic stations/over reaction followed by dither and indecision.
History gives us a classic lesson in history repeating itself when one looks at the Spanish flu. We haven't moved forward one inch and the same mistakes are being repeated today as were made then, 102 years ago.
history.com/news/1918-pande...
And as regards present day muzzle wearing, if masks are so effective how come I can smell other people's body emissions whilst wearing one?
Thanks so much, Wat Tyler, for this brilliant history link. Completely fascinating! My only point of dissent is that I believe that masks are very important right now.
You're certainly entitled to your opinion. However, how long that freedom will last, who knows?
How my wife's English grandparents survived, with their mental health intact, night after night of continual bombardment by Germans beggars belief.
Fast forward 70+ years and people are being terrified by a flu like virus with a mortality rate of 0.2% ! A bad ("normal") flu year can account for the tragic deaths of a million people, yet no one seems bothered by that fact. Check the latest stats out here:
worldometers.info/coronavirus/
In 1969 it's estimated that 4,000,000 people died of Hong Flu!
More people die of aids - and no vaccine has yet been found that is 100% effective:
history.com/topics/1980s/hi...
Malaria is still a huge threat not only in the 3rd World (I hate that term) but in the USA too:
who.int/malaria/publication...
Erin Gruwell
"Silence ensures that history repeats itself." I would also add to that quote that ignorance ensures that history repeats itself.
At the last count the muzzle rule has been changed at least 6 times in the last few months. This hardly inspires confidence in an effective virus policy.
I receive, on a weekly basis, Government updates regarding the "virus". I have nearly, but not quite, lost count of the changing rules...sometimes within a week of them becoming rules!
The fact remains that I can still smell other people through my muzzle which, to me, means that they can smell me! Does this mean there is a possibility that the virus may be carried through air born particles from sweat etc?
My cousins in Sweden (and yes, I do have blood cousins there) are left very much in peace from over weening busy bodies. Scaremongering on the scale the UK has experienced beggars belief.
Oh, and because of this "virus" I have had several oncologist appointments cancelled! Wait until they tally up the increase in cancer deaths because of official ineptitude, it will far exceed the "corona" scare.
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